Screen cleaner



J. E. GAFFNEY SCREEN CLEANER June 24, 1958 Filed July 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN E. GAFFNEY BeJW//My ATTORNEY June 24, 1958 J. E. GAFFNEY 2,839,970

l SCREEN CLEANER Filed July 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L i s INVENTOR. JOHN E, GAFFNEY BMJJMS ATTORNEY June 24, 1958 E J. E. GAF'FNEY 2,839,970

SCREEN CLEANER Filed July 29, 1955 s sheets-sheet s y4-fl f ,si Q

o4 o yf o INVENTOR. JOHN E. GAFFNEY ATTORNEY SCREEN CLEANER John E. Gaffney, Cranford, NJ.

Application July 29, 1955, Serial No. 525,099

6 Claims. (Cl. 92-31) This invention relates to screen cleaners for at screens employed in paper mills for screening the pulp stock to remove undesirable material just before going tothe forming surface.

Screen cleaners heretofore employed for this purpose have comprised endless chains carrying wooden strips which scrap oit the material from they top surface of the screen, but these strips cannot enter the slots inthe screen plates to dislodge clogging material therefrom. Hand scraping or manipulation of a steam lance is employed to unclog the slots, but the moving strips are in the way4 of these operations, as well as occupying a large space above the screen tank and being a source of danger to the workmen.

The main objects of the present invention are therefore to avoid the diiculties referred to above, and to provide an automatic screen cleaner for unclogging the slots in the screen plates, to reduce the space occupied by moving parts, and otherwise improve the construction and operation of such screen cleaners.

According to the present invention, a shower pipe is employed which extends transversely of the screen and travels longitudinally therealong, and directs streams of water or steam downwardly and forwardly inclined to dislodge clogging material from the slots in the screen plates. This shower pipe is carried by a reciprocating carriage slidable on guides extending longitudinally of the upstanding longitudinal side walll of the dat screen tank. The guides are supported by a frame mounted outside of the tank side wall, and a drive member mounted in bearings in the frame is connected to the carriage to reciprocate the shower pipe along the screen plates. The shower pipe is carried by a supply pipe rigidly secured to the carriage and extending over the side Wall down into the tank. A exible hose conducts water from the main to the supply pipe. The drive member is preferably a screw driven by a motor mounted on the frame at one end of the tank, and threaded into a nut mounted on the carriage. The drive member may also be a piston rod for a fluid pressure cylinder mounted at one end of the tank, the piston rod being connected to a part of the carriage.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan of a at screen provided with the traveling shower screen cleaner according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig.` l; Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. l; Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 7-7 Aof Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of at screen provided with the traveling shower screen cleaner havinga modified fluid pressure drive; and

Fig. 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a at y screen S mounted in a tank T. The screen is substantially horizontal, and preferably comprises laterally extend- 2,839,970 Patented June 2,4, 1958 ICC therein in parallel relation.

The tank T has an upstanding longitudinally extending side wall 10 to which is secured a frame comprising a channel 12 secured to the wall 10 and having spaced brackets 14, 15 and 16 supporting upper and lower parallel spaced guide rods 17 and 18.

Slidable on the guide rods is a carriage C comprising slides 20 and 22 connected by a bar 24. The slide 20 comprises a nut 25 in which is threaded a screw 26. The screw 26 is journaled in bearings 28 and 30 in the respective brackets 14 and 15. The screw 26 is driven by a motor M mounted on the frame 12 at one end of the tank T. f

Rigidly mounted on the bar 24 of carriage C is a supply pipe 32 which extends in an arc over the frame 12 and the tank side wall 10 and depends down inside the tank T. A shower pipe 34 extends from the Vsupply pipe across the tank T above the screen S transversely to the side wall 10. AA llexible hose 35 is connected to the supply pipe 32 to conduct Vwater or steam from a main, not shown.

As shown in Fig. 7, the shower pipe is provided with spaced orifices 36 which direct jets of water or steam downwardly and forwardly inclined to impinge upon the screen plates and enter the slots L therein to dislodge clogging material therefrom.

Limit switches 46 and 48 at the respective ends of the tank T engaged by trips 50 and 52 at the opopsite ends of the carriage, serve to reverse the motor M and cause the screw 26 to drive the carriage C in opposite directions to effect reciprocation of the shower pipe 34 along the screen S.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a uid pressure cylinder 55 is mounted on the frame 12 above the guide rod 18. This cylinder 55 is provided with a piston rod 56 which is secured to the carriage slide 20. Fluid under pressure is alternately supplied to ports 58 and 60 in opposite ends of the cylinder, to effect the desired reciprocation ofthe carriage C.

I claim: v

l. Traveling shower cleaner for a fiat paper pulp screen mounted in a tank having a longitudinal upstanding side wall, comprisingarframe adapted to be secured in position outside of said tank side wall, spaced apart parallel guide rods mounted on said frame parallel to said side wall, a carriage slidably mounted on said guide rods for reciprocation longitudinallyof said side wall, a supply pipe mounted on said carriage and extending down inside said side wall, and a shower pipe extending from said supply pipe across said tank above said screen transversely to said guide rods. l

2. Traveling shower cleaner for a flat paper pulp screen mounted in a tank having a longitudinal upstanding side wall, comprising a frame adapted to be secured in position outside of said tank side wall, a carriage slidably mounted on said outside frame for reciprocation parallel to said wall, a supply pipe mounted on said carriage and y 'parallel to said side wall, a carriage slidably mounted on said guide rods, a supply pipe rigidly secured to said carriage and extending up over said frame and down inside said side wall, and a shower pipe extending from said .Sup-

ply pipeacross said screen transversely to said side wall.

4. Traveling shower cleaner for a flat paper pulp Screen mounted in a tank having a longitudinal vertical side wall, comprising@ `frame adapted .to ,bei secured .to said tank side wall, spacedA parallel guide rods mounted on said frame, `a carriageslidably mounted onsaid guide rods, a supply pipe rigidly secured to said carriage and extending up over said frame and down inside'said side wall into said tank, a shower pipe extending from said supply pipe across said screen, anda driving memberparallel'to said guide rods and connected .to said carriage `for reciprocating said shower pipe along the screen.

5. Traveling shower cleaner for a ilat paper pulp screen mounted in a tank having a longitudinal vertical `side wall, comprising a frame adaptedV to be secured in position parallelto but outside of said tank side wall, spaced apart parallel guide rods mounted on said frame parallel to said side wall, a carriage slidably mounted on said guide rods, a supply pipe 4mounted on said carriage and extending down inside said side wall, and a shower pipe extending from `said supply pipe across said screen transversely to said tank sidewall, a motor mounted at one end of said frame, and a` driving member driven by said motor and connected to said carriage for reciprocating said shower pipe along said screen. l i Y 6. Traveling screen cleaner for flat screens employed in paper mills for screening the pulp stock comprising Cil laterally extending plates having longitudinally extending slots formed therein in' parallel relation and mounted in a tank having a longitudinal v'ertical side wall, said traveling screen cleaner comprising a frame adapted to be secured to said tank side Wall, spaced apart guide rods mounted on said frame parallel to said side wall, a single longitudinally slidable carriage slidably mounted on said guide rods at one side of said screen, a shower pipe supported entirely by said carriage and extending transversely above said screen, said shower pipe having orifices directed downwardly and forwardly into said flat screen slots.

References Ctedin the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Broughton Nov. 3, 

